Men mistake game wardens for pot pickup

Two men were booked into Tehama County Jail after allegedly attempting to load 127 pounds of pot into a truck they thought belonged to their supplier but actually belonged to two California Department of Fish and Game wardens.

Wardens Scott Williams and Aaron Galwey were spotlighting for deer poachers in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest on Monday night when a group of men approached the vehicle.

"Things unfolded so quickly that they immediately commanded them to keep their hands within view," said DFG spokesman Pat Foy. "They very quickly figured out what the situation was."

Williams and Galwey were able to handcuff two of the men, one of whom was armed with a shotgun. But three others escaped on foot.

"We'll be keeping an eye out for them," Foy said. "They're presumably still in the forest, but they came out to meet their supplier, so there's a chance they might be gone."

In addition to weapon and drug allegations, the two detained men were cited as illegal immigrants and now face deportation, Foy said.

He said that he did not have the men's names and that the arresting wardens could not be reached for comment.

The seized marijuana was processed and ready for sale, Foy said. And because of the quantity — enough to fill four duffel bags and two sleeping bags — he believes these men are no amateurs.

"To have these guys come out with 127 pounds — that was a lot of work," Foy said. "They were very clearly knowledgeable about what they were doing. They made up all the elements of a drug trafficking organization."

And though coming across the drugs turned out to be an accidental success, Foy said what's most important — and surprising — is that Williams and Galwey were unharmed.

"We basically count on them (pot growers) being armed," he said. "The fact that only two wardens got out of that situation without anybody getting hurt is what everybody is thankful for."